Saturday Morning at the Ferry Building

So, on Saturday mornings, apparently all local farmers and growers set up shop outside and encircling the Ferry Building where you can stroll and find any type of fruit, veg, cheese, meat, or flowers you so desire.



We needed fuel up before we began. First up: coffee. Blue Bottle was highly recommended by Suzanne and Marshall - and it did not disappoint. A slight acid cut with local, foamy organic milk. It is worth the 20 minute wait as your coffee is custom-made. Grounds and all.


Next stop along the Embarcadero was a breakfast plate from Rose Pistola was farm fresh eggs, pressed prosciutto, fresh California spinach, and fontina cheese. A side of crispy potatoes. Oh, a good morning it is.


Energized, we trot through the crowd. Fresh chickens, organics, dried fruits, Indian spices, goat cheeses, wild mushrooms, tamales. Literally every table was worth stopping, observing, salivating, and then regretting we had no kitchen nor ability to take any tender items home with us.





I don't think we've had a more visually-stimulating Saturday morning.

Vietnamese... organic, sustainable

Some folks are well aware that Eric and I love the Vietnamese cuisine. And we really don't get enough comparable restaurants here in Atlanta. We knew when we originally planned to go to San Fran that it was an absolute, nothing-holding-us-back, no iota of hesitation to go to the nationally-acclaimed Slanted Door.



Charles Phan has created an absolute gem of a restaurant. Combining all of the qualities of a traditional Vietnamese cuisine with sexy cocktails, organic and sustainable foods, and shared plates. Supposedly, 20 of his family members work all over the restaurant.

We began with wine (a Loire 2006 Pinon Vouvray) and beer (Belgium's Witkap-Pater). Delightful. Later, an interesting red German paired well (2005 Schloss Schonborn pinot, Rheingau, Germany).


We began with crispy vegetable imperial rolls with taro root, cabbage, cellophane noodles, and peanuts.


Next, chicken claypot baked with caramel sauce, chiles, and fresh ginger.


We shared the Niman Ranch shaking beef consisting of cubed filet with garlic, watercress, and red onions.


Lastly, a little sweet, a little tart: caramelized pineapple with creme fraiche on a bed of blanc mange and basil gelee.


This is the one place you must stop when in San Fran. It is worth the wait. These flavors will linger with us for a long time.

Recession-proof chocolate

Of course, we had to stop at Rechuitti at the Ferry Building in San Fran.


God love 'em. This chocolate is the type that you have to budget for, get what you need (not everything you want). Each piece. Each package. Each flavor. A true work of art. Recchiuti. We spent a ton on their chocolates at the NYC Chocolate Show some 18 months ago.

After a piece, you really never go back to regular store-bought chocolate.

And did I mention the marshmallows are amazing?! Their talents even spill over into non-chocolate products!!

San Francisco!

We are in the land of sea lions, sourdough (damn gluten), strong coffee, cable cars and Democrats. Yes, San Fran. Through creative use of Delta skymiles and Hilton points, we are able to see and do it all free. Well, that is excluding whatever goodies we come along upon.

We walked and walked and walked from Fisherman's Wharf to the Ferry Building to Chinatown and back to the Wharf.

Good thing the weather was totally cooperative... sunny and in the 60s.